Flying ice from truck severely injures motorist

January 06, 2010

Peter Morano of Aurora shows injuries he says he suffered after struck by flying ice from a semi as it went under a viaduct on Butterfield Road near Eola Rd on Monday. The ice smashed through the windshield and struck him in the face. (Chuck Berman/Chicago Tribune)

When Peter Morano recalls the terrifying car accident, he refers to it as the "white bomb."

On Monday morning, Morano was driving his car east on Butterfield Road in Aurora when his windshield was struck by an explosion of snow and ice. As a westbound semitrailer drove under an overpass, a large block of ice flew off the truck top and torpedoed into Morano's windshield.

"The sheet of ice hit directly on the windshield, broke the windshield and sprayed the glass into my face," said Morano, 41, now recovering in his Aurora home.

"There was blood everywhere, pouring from my head, nose and my eye. I was scared that I was losing so much blood that I was going to die."

Morano, who was headed to the Warrenville day care center that his wife owns, immediately slammed onto the brakes. He initially feared that he was trapped because a large piece of glass had landed on his lap and was pressed against his face.

But mustering some strength, he was able to push the glass away, open the door and stumble outside for help.

The truck driver continued driving west, but other drivers stopped and came to Morano's aid.

One woman, who identified herself as a nurse, applied pressure to Morano's nose, while a man called an ambulance and Morano's wife, Debbie.

Peter Morano was taken to Provena Mercy Medical Center in Aurora, where he underwent surgery. He was discharged Tuesday.

DuPage County Sheriff John Zaruba issued a statement saying he was investigating the incident and asked anyone with information to contact the office.

Witnesses were unable to provide any information on the truck other than the trailer was white, Zaruba's statement said.

Morano, father of 8-year-old Gina and 10-year-old Rachel, said he remains in severe pain. His face is swollen and covered in stiches that stretch from the bridge of his nose across his left eyelid and out to the corner of his eye.

His nose was smashed and broken in several pieces and required a two-hour surgery to be reconstructed. The bone section below his left eye socket, known as the orbital, also was shattered.